Guile: The Quality of Deception
by Trevor X
Summary: AU, Fire Emblem 7. Looking back at knight commander, Lundgren smiled darkly. "Do you think that you can hold if Sir Wallace anchors the line?"
1. Prologue

_**Guile: The Quality of a Deception...**_

Summary: _We all know Lyn's Tale, the story of a girl from the plains who slays her conniving great-uncle and saves her semi-repentant grandfather. The twists and turns thereof are familiar to us and we sometimes skip over them to proceed to the main quest of Eliwood and Hector versus the Dark Wizard and his pet charizards._

_But what if..._

_Lundgren, user of poisons, were a more crafty opponent? Had more forethought and not so much of a brutish outlook? Could actually foresee the value in waiting for an opponent upon a carefully prepared battlefield?_

_What then?_

_**Warning: DARK Themes.**__ As with any situation involving murder and politics, (AKA - Lundgren) this work will be housing darkness and evil. It will probably delve down into non-work-safe and non-family-friendly territory. This prologue of sorts is fairly tame, as the tale progresses, the rating will change to reflect it. You have been warned._

~o~

Striding through the aged stonework that comprised the main hall, the armored lord didn't halt upon reaching the entrance to the keep. The guards at the doors hastened to open them, not wishing to incur his ire. Lord Lundgren, the younger brother and assumed heir to the grand estate of Caelin had just heard some unpleasant news. His brother's daughter, once counted as dead to the issue of succession had written her father earlier in the year. For a time, it had not mattered; the old man was set in his ways and refused to even open the letter, though he still set it aside in the pile of 'things that needed attention in the future' that took up space upon his desk. Lundgren had seen that as further proof that having disowned the family line, his brother would pass the canton on to his possession within a few years.

Indeed, since his somewhat recurring illness, Hausen had dedicated much of the daily running of the castle and its subordinate farmlands to the healthier sibling.

Lundgren was careful not to mention that the recurring illness was a carefully laid plot to wrest control of the canton from his brother's hands. Hausen would hardly be able to do anything to prevent it at this point, but one could never be too certain what whim of the gods would strike the death knell to the ambitions that he held dear.

It seemed as though that whim had come upon his brother at last. Confined to his rooms, the lord of the keep had found the letter in his piles of correspondence. Curiousity and regret overcame pride for the moment; Hausen broke the seal upon the letter and read what his daughter had written.

Thus it was that Lundgren had the shock of finding his brother in tears, murmuring about a grandaughter named Lyndis. Hausen demanded that an emissary be sent to his daughter immediately, to request that she visit with his grandaughter.

Without adequate time to craft a response, Lundgren had acquiesced to his brother's demand. Two of the younger cavaliers were handpicked by the captain of the guard and Lundgren sent them out with his brother's reply, bidding them haste upon their way.

Then he had stormed out of the keep to avoid betraying his sudden anger to his brother.

A long ride around the canton served to calm his rage from the pot boiling over to a slow simmer beneath the surface. He could nip this problem in the bud if he only planned correctly. A grand-niece would not be too difficult to deal with, nor would her mother. Hausen had not yet implied that he would reinstate their claims upon the estate and if they were content with their life on the plains, it would be unlikely that either mother or daughter would willingly return to oversee Caelin in the event of his brother's death.

Still, he would have to prepare for scenarios where the unlikely held true

_It was much later before he returned to the castle._

~o~

AN: Because good does not always triumph, and evil has its heyday. Good men and women struggle and sometimes don't find the ending that they hope. The premise to this tale: "A smarter Lundgren, a more patient Lundgren and Fire Emblem 7 becomes a vastly different tale, lingering on that final edge of destruction."

As food for thought, remember that many of the character recruitment encounters depended upon the crude assassination attempts by Lundgren upon Lyndis. Temper the foolhardy attempts and the journey becomes much easier, taking less time and with far fewer detours. Such things will become apparent if you follow that line of thought.


	2. Chapter 1

**"Guile: The Quality of a Deception"**

Parteth Oneth

**~o~**

_In another time and place, his first meeting with Lyndis would have been just before his rather bloody death. There he would insult her and claim that Caelin needed but one heir. Inevitably, he would be proven correct - just not in his choice of the heir._

**~o~**

Word had finally arrived: the knights sent out to retrieve the only other blood members of the family were nearing the canton. There had been a few unfortunate skirmishes with bandits along the way, but nothing to hinder the steady progress of the journey. Lundgren immediately assembled a handful of the castle's retainers and proceeded toward a meeting with his niece and her daughter.

As he traveled, Lundgren debated with himself yet again whether it would have been more prudent to just hire a few of those prominent roaming bands of miscreants to perform the necessary surgery to the family line instead of plodding in sentimental cowardice as he had done. No one cared that discretion was the better part of valor; blunt force was the most straightforward path towards a goal. He almost regretted not declaring his visitors imposters attempting to seize control of Caelin.

While it might have yielded immediate results, the possibility also existed that his plans might have come into light in the ensuing scrutiny. Lord Uther had been ill these past few months, but the Ostian noble was the head of the Lycian League and had a propensity for tasking his agents with ferreting out ill done deeds. No matter how desperate the situation, Lundgren did not wish to involve Ostia at this point; rumor held that they had caused the disappearance of at least one household that did not align properly with their worldview.

At least Bern seemed to be stirring up trouble on the northern borders. Foreign affairs would make it much harder for Uther to focus on internal dissent.

Inwardly cursing, Lundgren ended his bout of introspection; he had done what he could to prepare for this day. All that remained would be to see how he needed to respond to tomorrow.

_Caelin would be his!_

**~o~**

Lundgren was not surprised to see that the party that they were to escort had already crossed into the farmland that described the outer boundaries and awaiting them at the meeting point. He frowned and scrutinized the motley entourage as they drew within hailing distance. There were fewer bodies than he had expected; certainly the despicable nomad would have accompanied his wife and child and there would have been several warriors to accompany them as proof against the bandit incursions.

Aside from the two knights that had been dispatched however, the party seemed devoid of martial prowess. To be sure, the others all bore weapons upon their persons, but none of them portrayed the bearing of a warrior. Two girls, two lads and two knights - a pitiable sum.

Lundgren drew up before them and watched as the knights snapped to attention immediately; the others in the party remained tightly grouped and silent at his approach.

"Lord Lundgren, might I present the lady Lyndis and her companions." That promising lad, Kent, was speaking. Lundgren turned his gaze to the party, identifying the young woman who was his grand-niece.

"Lyndis, hey? I am Lundgren, brother of Lord Hausen of Caelin. As he has been recently ill, I come in his place to bid you welcome to our fair canton." Taking another moment, Lundgren let his eyes flicker over the rest of the group again before returning his focus to the obstacle in his path. "You heavily favor my niece; tell me, was there some impediment that kept your mother from joining you in this journey? My brother had high hopes that they might reconcile their differences."

The girl looked at him with a frank gaze before replying to his question. "My parents are dead."

A shocking bit of news to be sure; Lundgren mentally rejoiced at the rise in his fortunes and barely kept a grin from appearing on his face. His mouth twisted into a mock grimace as he restrained his reaction. He could ask for details on the deaths another time; now he must whisk these travelers out of the sight of the common rabble. Hausen would appreciate the haste, though Lundgren wasn't thinking about that right now. There were _other _considerations, namely the desire to limit the knowledge of the child's visit to as few souls as possible.

"Come, my lord brother awaits your arrival."

Lundgren was gratified to see that there were no complaints amongst the travelers; indeed, they merely clambered astride their mounts and prepared to ride.

Perhaps this whole debacle would resolve much faster than he anticipated if they followed suggestions this well.

**~o~**

_AN: "Won't you come into my parlor..."_

There may be a little bit of happy from here on out, but it's likely that from this point the tale takes a nosedive. Just warning any reading this.

_On the lack of party members (or for those of you who may be shouting "Where's Rath?")..._

1. The timing of all the character recruitment in Lyn's tale hinges upon her being driven back and forth to seek aid in reaching her grandfather's side. The only possible delay that I see is in Kent and Sain actually getting to talk to Lyn in the first place. Florina and Wil both are recruited on the way early on, while any other members depend upon backtracking or in Rath's case, in the castle being overrun by attackers. Without that, Araphen's lord wouldn't have cause to even meet Lyn, since they aren't being harried by Lundgren's hirelings.

No meeting, no muttering about half-breeds and worthless savages, and Rath is still happily employed in the castle guard. Or at least as happily as Rath ever is.

2. Nils and Ninian - Not in the right place at the right time. Sorry Nils, you'll have to find some other hero. But don't worry, Eliwood was in the vicinity. I'm sure he helped rescue your sister...

3. No Wallace - Geeze, Lundgren didn't reactivate the man. He's still happily following a plow on his piece of dirt. Probably the worst blunder that Lundgren did in-game was throwing out the retired general at Lyn's party. There was no leverage to keep the old warrior from switching sides to uphold his idea of honor and truth. Here Lundgren shows a little more sense and leaves the old warrior on the sidelines.

_At least for the moment. It's possible that Wallace may enter the storyline at some portion._


	3. Chapter 2

**"Guile: The Quality of a Deception"**

Parteth Another

**~o~**

_The first portion of the spider and the fly requires the spider to be the charming host that it pretends to be in order to ensure that the web is securely closed upon its victim. If the fly manages to escape, the spider will not enjoy the fruit of its labor. A more aware Lundgren leads the group to its doom, though he does it with rather more aplomb than his original storyline counterpart..._

**~o~**

The first meeting between Hausen and Lyndis was rather more tearful than Lundgren could stand, so he excused himself from the room as hastily as could be still considered polite (though he doubted that either party even noticed his absence) and made his way to where the rest of the travelers waited. Before entering the room, he summoned one of the maids and bade her prepare chambers and garments for their guests. The maid bowed stiffly and retreated, leaving Lundgren alone again. He set his face carefully and stepped into the room.

All eyes fastened immediately upon his entrance. The two knights stood and he waved for them to relax; he needed them to be off their guard and to at least discount some of the more unsavory rumors that had spread amongst the servile portion of the keep's residents. Unexpected courtesy to his guests' would help in that regard; a few steps left him within reach of the bell pull and he tugged it down once, twice.

Near instantaneously there were two servants standing in the doorway. Lundgren motioned to the foreigners as he instructed the help, "Estelle has already gone to prepare rooms for our guests. See to it that they are made comfortable and provide whatever they have need of while they wait for our lord to grant them audience."

He was gratified to see the servants hesitate for only half a second before bowing and herding the riff-raff out of the room. Left with alone with the knights, Lundgren seated himself in one of the vacated chairs and fixed the young men with a steely gaze.

"So tell me, young Kent, how fared your travels? Was my niece well pleased with your escort? What troubles did you encounter upon the way?"

As the cavalier straightened up and began his account, Lundgren leaned forward as though it held great interest for him. He would clarify things with the other young lout in a moment, but for a straightforward telling, Kent was the better choice.

Anyway, there was still time to decide upon his next course of action. He could afford to be patient for a few days at the least.

Nodding his head, Lundgren gestures for Kent to continue with his narrative...

**~o~**

All the waiting was grating upon his nerves. Lundgren had originally thought that he possessed enough patience to weather the influx of visitors, enough charm to divert their attentions away from his schemes, and enough intelligence to recognize any threats that might arise from their visit. He was still certain that he possessed enough of these qualities to brave the storm, as it were. It was merely that he was growing tired of the whole passive existence.

He was a man of strength - action was the watchword that they swore by!

And despite Hausen's increase in health (the poison was dropped in dosage), the interlopers had shown very little inclination to pack their bags and move on. And all of Lundgren's plans now hinged upon Lyndis and her companions leaving the keep under their own power, because the success of the plot would lay in all of the disasters happening outside of his jurisdiction. His brother's own demise would follow in time, and the throne of Caelin would fall to the sole surviving heir.

It was a pity that there was no way to play this farce to a conclusion in any other manner. He would have loved to have seen his brother take a long soujourn out to the plains of Sacae to be with his daughter. Alas, that was no option, so practicality demanded that he retain his original plan to slay and replace.

He'd changed the plan entirely this past week, however. The new plan took into account the possible talent that he could recruit to help consolidate his holdings against whatever schemes the surrounding lords participated in. He knew of at least one; members of the Black Fang had moved through Caelin and the surrounding cantons. Hausen had spoken to him of a few meetings, though no specifics were mentioned. It seemed as though treason agains the ruling house of the league had been contemplated, but how far that plot had come was anyone's guess.

Hausen seemed uncertain of how far he wished his complicity in the plot to extend. Lundgren could see the problems that would lay ahead in either case - Caelin was a small canton and would need to either extend its own holdings or be absorbed by one of the larger houses.

In any case, withdrawing from the conspiracy, while it might result in trouble from the Fang or the other lords, would probably lead to betterment of relations with Ostia. And better relations there would ensure some recourse should the other lords vie for the land in the wake of the unsettlement yet to come...

When Lyndis finally comes to announce that she has decided to move on with her journey, Lundgren is inwardly elated. Still he plays the part of the older, wiser relation and bids her stay a few more days.

He is happy when she refuses.

**~o~**

The four travelers ride out, one upon a pegasus and the rest upon horses. It is an odd sight and Lundgren notes his brother's heavy sigh as they watch the young people ride out of sight.

"I wish that she would have remained here." The weak old man is speaking again, Hausen reverting to the sentiments that drag him off of his seat of authority.

But for today, Lundgren humors him. "Don't worry brother, she promised to visit you again. I'm certain that she'll come back later."

And to his own surprise, he finds that he's looking forward to that day.

**~o~**

**AN: **_The bad cometh. After this part, there will be character death. This is the last of the happy days. Warning. Danger Will Robinson. Danger._


	4. Chapter 3

**"Guile: The Quality of a Deception"**

The Beginning of the End

**~o~**

_"There are many events that happened simultaneously within Lyn's Tale. Most were orchestrated by evil or malicious persons and not necessarily within the cozy confines of cooperation. Great evils, like overbearing parents, love to have the last say in everything..."_

**~o~**

It was unusual for the lord of the keep to pace anywhere with much agitation. In fact, the last time that Lundgren could recall Hausen doing anything of the sort was in the weeks following his daughter's elopement. At that time he'd also been quite hale for his age, nothing like the withered wreck that he'd become in the intervening years with age and poison both conspiring to rob him of his vigor.

Seeing him now, Lundgren could almost see the return of the stubborn lord who had raged over a daughter's desertion and yet carried on for the sake of his land. But only for a moment; the illusion faded and Hausen appeared as he always did these last days, a tired old man with too many burdens.

Finally Hausen ceased his pacing and returned to sit at the table facing his brother. Lundgren waited impatiently for whatever pronouncement was sure to be forthcoming. Whatever came out in the next few moments was certain to be momentous, and quite uncertain as to whether he would actually appreciate hearing it. His plans however, called for him to remain patient and await the dire news that was certain to return to him at any time now.

_'When the word arrives, I will inherit this domain.'_

Hausen sighed deeply, breaking into his thoughts. Looking over at his brother, Lundgren frowned, pretending concern. "What ails you my brother?"

"Lyndis." The one word answer was expected. "And the potential uprising being planned by the league against the one who leads it."

Lundgren frowned, suddenly still. He had not expected a frank admission from anyone involved in the plotting, let alone his own brother. He had thought that there would be whispered allusions to a potential threat, cloaked in non-damning phrases that danced around treason while remaining thoroughly innocent.

Bluntly spoken truth was not something that he had a ready answer for.

Hausen seemed not to care that his brother had been left silent by his statement. Indeed, the Lord of Caelin merely continued on with his speech. "At the last turning, there were still some undecided about whether to rebel with open warfare or whether it remained feasible to vote a different house to the forefront of the league. However with the key members who have called for restraint vanishing, it seems that those in favor of bloodshed will have their way."

When his brother fell silent and looked at him, Lundgren grunted dismissively. "What do they think has kept Bern from pouring over our borders and devouring our little territories? Ostia and her vassals have always kept close watch on the empire to the north and shielded the rest of the league from their opportunistic depredations. If they destroy Ostia, they destroy us all."

"Indeed."

Hearing his brother sigh even as he agreed, Lundgren decided to press further. "If such a thing bothers you, what have you decided to do about it? Will you stand by and let them pass or become the obstacle in their path to be trod upon?"

When Hausen sat up straight, Lundgren smiled grimly. The Lord of Caelin fairly glowered at the insult, slamming one frail fist against the table.

"Am I so feeble that you think we would not defend our holdings against those vultures? Has my illness so drained your confidence in my resolve or the strength that we hold inside of our own lands?" Hausen's eyes flashed with anger, his voice rising even as he continued to speak. "They will not take Caelin from me without spilling my blood and that of our house!"

The anger passed as quickly as it had come, leaving Hausen merely a token presence in the room again. Lundgren watched his elder brother slump forward to lean his elbows upon the table. The energy had been expended quickly, but Hausen did not seem any less determined when he spoke again.

"When it was just the two of us to consider, I did not worry; if they destroyed me, then you would still be here to hold the keep against whoever would attempt to take it. But now there is another potential heir to the land wandering around, one that a convenient political marriage would allow one of the other houses a claim upon these lands, however weak that claim might be. If such a thing was to happen and by some evil fate the both of us met our end, then Caelin would pass from our house with hardly a struggle."

"I intend to press once more for a peaceful take over of the league, but if they will not listen to my plea then I will withdraw my support for the plot altogether. If I do this, we must protect ourselves from the repercussions that will follow. I do not believe that they will lightly let us out of the conspiracy, even should I pledge not to betray them with a word. They will be certain to retaliate here and elsewhere."

Lundgren grinned fiercely and smashed his own fist against the table. "Let them come then! We have strength here to withstand them; we will never be some weak prey to devour upon our own lands! We will never submit..."

As the door to the room opened and a servant carrying a tray with drinks arrived, Lundgren paused in his speech to glare at the man. "Be gone! We do not require your services here, fool!"

"The Fang sends you their greetings, corrupt ones."

Lundgren stood immediately as the tray and drinks flew towards him, batting the missiles from the air with a sweep of his arm. Wine splashed on his tunic, staining the material as he growled in annoyance at the pitiful attack. Across from him, Hausen half-rose from his seat before collapsing against the table, hands reaching futilely for the dagger buried in his throat.

With a roar, Lundgren picked up a chair and flung it at the assassin. As the makeshift missile knocked the foe down, Lundgren charged around the table and grasped the man by the throat. The assassin's eyes bulged and the man began to struggle against the stranglehold; Lundgren felt a sudden sharp pain in his forearm and glanced down to find a dagger sticking out of it. His hand lost its grasp upon the assassin and the man wrenched himself free and staggered towards the doorway.

Lundgren wrenched the dagger out of his arm and started after his assailant. "Guards! Assassins in the halls!"

His second step faltered and his vision began to darken. When he fell flat on his face, Lundgren suddenly realized that something was wrong.

_Poison!_

Trembling fingers took hold of the tiny vial that he carried on his person and still bleeding over the floor, Lundgren struggled to open the lid. For a long moment, the cap mocked his waning strength and refused to budge. As steel clattered in the hallway and a handful of guards finally made their way into the chamber, the vial finally yielded to his efforts. Tilting his head back, Lundgren quaffed its contents in one swallow before turning his attention to the armored blob now hovering over him.

"Seal the keep and send riders to fetch my grandniece."

The blob clanked and probably saluted. "As you command, Lord Lundgren."

Satisfied that he was somewhat safer now, Lundgren closed his eyes. This had not been in the plans - he would have to see what else had changed according to someone else's designs.

_But first a rest..._

**~o~**

Lundgren had recovered enough to resume command of the keep by the time that the riders returned. He sat in the hall, flanked by a pair of soldiers and awaited their report. When the doors opened and two familiar knights marched in alone, Lundgren knew instantly that their news would not be good.

The pair marched carefully towards the lord of the keep, boots clicking over the wood that covered the floors. Five feet from their lord, both knights stopped and knelt. From this distance, Lundgren could see the tension inherent in both young men.

"My lord, I have unfortunate tidings." Kent raised his head and Lundgren read the despair in the knight's eyes. "Your grandniece, Lyndis, is dead."

All the assembled jumped as their lord pounded his fist against the arm of his chair.

"What of her companions? Why did they not keep her safe?" Lundgren was proud of the way that he growled out his lines, displaying nothing but what any _common man _might feel under the circumstances. _Despair, anger and helpless rage._

Kent swallowed hard before answering the question. "Unfortunately, her companions expired as well. Only one of them was in any condition to be properly identified."

Lundgren closed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly, holding his breath for a ten-count before letting it all out in an explosive sigh. He let himself hunch downward, trying to portray proper resignation to the news. "Tell me, _how did they die?_"

"According to the locals, the lad Wil took up a challenge at drinking in the tavern. They claim that after becoming quite soused, he bragged that he could hit any target despite his inebriation and when challenged on his claims, stepped outside and shot down a _'bird' _from the air. The bird turned out to be a pegasus and when they found the remains of the creature and its rider, a mob formed and promptly hung Wil from the nearest tree. His was the corpse that was most readily identifiable."

Sain spoke up now, sparing his partner a portion of the gruesome tale. "We saw the remains of the pegasus as well; flying horses being somewhat rare around the league, it was also readily identifiable despite its rather smashed state. The locals had already carted away the rider's remains for burial, but from their description of the body, we think the plucked blossom to be the child-knight Florina." The knight took a deep breath before plunging again into his narrative. "On traveling further, we found the bodies of Lyndis and her last companion, both mutilated beyond belief near the outskirts of the town. Their limbs had been hacked off and their faces brutalized until nothing remained to identify them. We were only able to do so because of the distinctive hair and clothing."

"As for explanations, the only one that we were offered was bandits and though I am loathe to believe that Lyndis would be felled by something so ludicrous, the bodies of the fallen that mingled there did seem to support the theory. I do have wonder though; what sort of creature would find it necessary to destroy the fine features of the lady's face after they killed her? They could have at least allowed them the dignity of a proper funeral instead dismembering them and requiring haste in the burial."

Opening his eyes, Lundgren took note of the heat with which Sain spoke. He nodded once to the young man, letting his eyes carry the weight of his dedication to his next words. "When the time comes and I find out who destroyed my family, I shall allow you both to have some measure of the recompense that I deal out. Until then, bide your time and marshal your strength, for Caelin has need of you during this dark hour."

Nodding once more to both of the knights, Lundgren dismissed them with a wave. He watched until they disappeared through the door and then summoned a hooded messenger to his side. "Go to the town, treat for the bodies and return them here for burial. As they died while performing service to Caelin, it is only fitting that we bury them here on the ground that they defend. Pay whatever price is required to make it so."

Bowing once in reply, the messenger hastened out of the room. Left alone with his guards, Lundgren slumped down in his chair. The efforts of his body to counteract the poison, even with the aid of the antidote had left him drained these past few days. It was unfortunate then, that there remained a few hours until it was advisable for the lord of the keep to retire; it would not do to become the sole heir and then lose the distinction merely because he was too tired to keep up with the rest of the world...

At least the mundane chores helped to pass the time. Idly he beckoned for the next order of business to be brought forth...

**~o~**

_Later that evening when Lundgren retired to his rooms, he stopped in one of the adjoining doorways. Inside, lying carelessly upon the bed was the limp body of his niece, her eyes glazed over and staring wordlessly at the ceiling. Beside her a pale girl knelt, trying to hide from the steely gaze that Lundgren projected into the room._

_"Hello, little one. Do take good care of my mistress for me; I would be so distressed if anything were to happen to her after all that I have done to arrange her safety within my house."_

_His grin grew wider and the girl shrunk back against the headboard of the bed, ducking to hide her eyes behind lavender tresses. It did nothing to disguise her shaking, however. Lundgren was amused._

_"Don't worry child; I did promise my brother that I would take care of my niece and I would not break an oath to a dying man. Lyndis is the key to the survival of our bloodline and I will not let her go to waste, no matter that she comes of mixed stock."_

_He laughed aloud when that statement drew a startled squeak from the terrified girl. Closing the door and locking it once more from the outside, he returned to his chambers to retire for the evening..._

**~o~**

AN: People have now died. Story goes to a 'M' rating to reflect that change. Also for some of the themes directly or indirectly used in this chapter - I expect that not a few of you will dislike the possibilities that Lundgren's conversations may portend.

As for what happened in this chapter:

Wil is dead. Yep, everybody's favorite happy-go-lucky archer kicked the bucket (or invited himself to a necktie party, if you prefer) and now sleeps the long slumber. His death was planned as a part of -o-xp=s lxow[s. Which is to say - keep reading to find out what it was a part of. Any more gives away more than I want to of the plot(?) at this point. No, I will not be resurrecting him for this story. As with Fire Emblem proper, if your characters die then they stay deaded.

Lyndis is still alive. Florina is still alive. (_How many are surprised by that, really?_) Yes, Lyndis is drugged. Do you really think that someone who would stoop to murder by poison would balk at using drugs to keep someone else from causing him trouble? _Thanks go to Manna for her ever insightful, ever depressing fic 'Soliloquy', without which I would have stumbled around blindly before hitting on an easy answer to Lundgren's need to keep Lyn's intellectual capacities limited while still keeping her body in fairly decent condition._ (This is by no means an indorsement for using drugs - they are merely another poison that does damage to both the mind and body, though one does not always recognize the damage to the former.)

_**Lundgren's condition:**_

_He's been poisoned and used an antidote. Business as usual? I think not. Give the man a few days or weeks to recover his strength before you expect to see him towering over people dressed in full armor. Also expect to see a few guards around to ensure that assassins don't get a second chance at his body. He's not invincible and he understands that now just a bit better than he did when all he had to worry about was accidentally ingesting poison meant for his brother._

I think that covers most everything at this point. Kent and Sain were sent out to find Lyndis because they were the two who could be spared that could most readily identify the young woman and her companions. Also part of Lundgren's (now modified) plans.

Yay for changing times.

I bid you all farewell for the present, with many thanks to my reviewers. Hopefully I'll find the time to continue writing between work and bouts of sleep. Granted, the worst week of all in retail is coming up, so I don't have _many _high hopes for a while... Still one _can _hope, can't they?


	5. Chapter 4

**"Guile: The Quality of a Deception"**

Perish the Thought

**~o~**

_"Of the defining characters who journey with Lyndis on her way, none is as enigmatic as the apprentice. Background unknown, cause of injury unknown, future unknown; the lad or lass is bound for a fated oblivion within Fire Emblem's realm of reality no matter how well they turn their destined task."_

_"And then we have Matthew."_

_"Consummate thief, intrepid spy and all-around opportunist, Matthew represents Ostia's eyes on the shaping events that define Lyn's Tale. One of an assumed many members of Uther's intelligence network, he played a part in maintaining the thin balance of power that allowed Uther to contain both the league of lords and the threat of Bern's expansion. Unfortunately in this timeline, Matthew had no compelling reason to abscond into Caelin with the party and thus missed the beautiful byplays that Lundgren has instituted."_

_"Fear not, people. Lundgren has plans..."_

**~o~**

_The dungeon._

Buried deep beneath the bowels of the keep, far below the stout stonework that served to shield the inhabitants from both the weapons of their foes and the undesirable winds that sometimes sprang up without warning, the dungeon served mostly to deter the soldiers in the keep from partaking in activities that might make them unfit for duty. There was the occasional malefactor who would be kept below while the lord pondered the judgments that he would bestow, but such occasions were rare and generally reserved for those who circumstances proved to be too dangerous to leave where compatriots or sympathizers might seek to free them.

Lundgren generally had little interaction with this portion of the keep, as it fell under the direct supervision of the garrison's commander. The hallways seemed cramped to the lord of the keep as he maneuvered between the shadows that the lantern's flame revealed. Before him strode the guard with the light, while a second followed behind and shielded Lundgren from the rear. The sconces on the wall remained devoid of lit torches, for the lord of the keep wished to keep his visit here a secret from most.

Not that this particular prisoner was very dangerous, mind. Lundgren felt certain that he could crush the man even in his weakened state. It was merely his potential usefulness that was sought here; potential that Lundgren meant to gain if at all possible.

They reached the guard post with little delay and Lundgren proceeded alone from that point, lantern in hand. This talk would require no one else to be present while he worked through the terms.

Besides, if he needed them, the guards were only a shout away.

**~o~**

_"If you serve me, I will ensure that she remains safe. If you elect to refuse my offer, then both of your lives are forfeit. Make your choice."_

The first words from his mouth were a deceptive promise certainly, but possibly the only argument that would move anyone with sentimental ties. It signified both an opening gambit and a closing argument all in one succinct statement. Lundgren sat back to wait while the man struggled to sit up on his cot. With one hand chained to the wall, the prisoner shifted to stare at the shadowed visage of Caelin's current lord.

When he finally nodded, Lundgren stood and retrieved the lantern. "Excellent. Someone will be sent to tend to your injuries. In the meantime, try to get some rest; I'll have things for you to do soon enough."

As he walked back to the guardroom, Lundgren realized that he'd not mentioned any names to go along with the threat. He never slowed his pace however, finding such revelations irrelevant for the time being.

If it was necessary to clarify, he could do so in a suitable manner in the future. For now, the important thing would be to take care of his newest subject so that he could utilize him to the fullest extent. After all, it wasn't as though his rival lords would be sitting on their hands so that fair play would be ensured.

Lundgren certainly didn't feel inclined to play fair. And considering how far it had gotten him, a certain reluctance to yield that advantage could be understood. He'd acquired a resource that none of them _should _expect, but it would not be ready for some time. The clerics could work wonders with their healing staves, but it would still take time for the injuries to heal; time that Lundgren's newest man would be indisposed and unable to serve in any physical capacity.

It might be possible to use him in a limited advisory capacity, if it did not reduce the efficiency of his recovery. Lundgren mentally tallied the question as one to ask the healers about when he had time; until they'd seen the patient, it was unlikely that any opinion that they offered would be of use to him.

**~o~**

Some time later Lundgren stood alone in his chambers, sealed away from the rest of the world at large. Relentlessly he rolled a roughly carved wooden top between the fingers of his right hand. He'd found it inside of one of the many piles of mementos that his later brother had kept from earlier days. It was a simple time, when neither of them had known of the politics and intrigue that men were capable of.

Glancing down once more, Lundgren forced himself to drop the wooden toy back onto the dresser. Hausen was buried now and the past would never come again. He would not allow himself to be distracted by worthless memories and sentimentality the way his brother had.

Restless, he began to walk back and forth between his bed and the closed door that led to the halls. The healer had finally seen to his prisoner and declared a bare minimum of two weeks before the youth would be fit for any kind of exertion. When he asked whether that could be shortened with the use of staves, the old woman had given him a rundown of just how many injuries had to be recovered from. Apparently his hirelings had done _too good _a job ensuring that this target would not be capable of escaping or calling for help.

Lundgren frowned. Perhaps he should have considered purchasing a sleeping drought and had them drugged in the beginning. It might have simplified matters even though it would have cost more to do it that way. Now he was paying for his lack of foresight with the loss of a valuable resource, a bitter lesson in the law of unintended consequences.

Well, it was a lesson that he'd remember for the future- if the future necessitated kidnappings of a delicate sort. Then again, he planned on having others to watch for things like this in the future, so perhaps he wouldn't really worry about it anyway.

Ceasing his pacing in front of the doorway, Lundgren opened it and stepped out into the hall. At this hour, few souls would be awake inside of the keep and most of those would be guards posted for the evening watches. Stepping a few doors down, he retrieved a key and opened the door to the room where his other prisoners were kept. Letting himself inside the room, he shut the door behind him and secured the lock.

A single candle struggled to illuminate the chamber, a situation easily remedied by lighting several others and letting them combine their spheres of influence. Lyndis lay sleeping, a curiously common sight by now. Rarely did he stop by when she was awake; the drug had been reduced now that she was safely out of sight, but only enough that she could function at a bare minimum. Always there was someone around to take care of her, a child who seemed to cling to his niece like she were the last bulwark of safety against the universe.

For a moment Lundgren allowed himself to feel content as he stared down at the woman on the bed. But contentment took wing soon after and he moved forward to seat himself on the edge of the bed. The girl was laying there, her hair free from the high ponytail that she wore when she first arrived in Caelin. Without the spirit that animated her when awake, Lyndis bore a resemblance to both her mother and the grandmother that she'd been named after.

To be fair, Lundgren had harbored a quiet attraction to his sister in law, though he had never attempted any dalliances with the woman; she had spent most of her time within Caelin taking care of her daughter and attending to the support of her husband. Her death had sapped Hausen of his will for a time and had made him overly protective of his remaining family. Hausen had kept his daughter so well secured that it seemed a miracle that some barbarian warrior had managed to steal her away from the protected walls of the keep. Part of that success undoubtedly had something to do with the young woman herself; she had fallen for the barbarian's good looks and knew intimately the ways of the guards and their changing shifts.

Fleeing the keep kept Madelyn from Lundgren's attention, but in her stead came her daughter and Lundgren was not ignorant of the beauty that Lyndis possessed. In polite company perhaps he would have kept his thoughts to himself, but here in a locked room with no one else to condemn him with precepts, Lundgren allowed himself the freedom to bare the woman on the bed to the full extent of his gaze. After all, it wasn't as though he hadn't thought this through; he'd already determined that Lyndis would bear the next generation of Caelin's rulers. The sooner he began, the sooner he could secure his line against the machinations of the other houses.

His plans were interrupted by the most unlikely of sources; a girl flying at him from the edge of the room. He'd forgotten about her presence with his focus on his niece, though when he saw her laying protectively over Lyn's body..._ he recalled her as the fourth member of the company, Flora something._ Petite and cowering in his presence, especially now as he glared at her for the interruption that she had presented him, the young woman still stood her ground and refused to allow him free access to continue molesting her friend.

"L-leave her alone!"

Even her voice was small. Lundgren marveled at her audacity even as he dragged her off the girl on the bed and held her at arms length. Her entire body shook but she met his gaze without shrinking away. When she spoke again, it was in a whisper that had Lundgren leaning forward to catch the words. _"If you want to bed someone, then take me instead."_

"You? You would bear my child?" Incredulity colored his tone as he laughed harshly. Lundgren leaned forward until his face was in front of the girl's. "What would make you offer yourself in her stead and why would you think that you would be worthy to bear _my_ heirs?"

The shaking subsided as the girl looked to the side for one instant before turning back to him. "I am a woman... and Lyn is my friend. If you promise not to touch her... then I will take her place."

"You are brave, girl. Very well, tonight, you have my word."

_When he led her into his chambers, the girl didn't resist._

**~o~**

_Later, in the privacy of his chambers, Lundgren decided that perhaps it would not matter if he delayed his plans for his niece for a time. Perhaps a week or two._

_After all, it never hurt to have a back up plan. He stared a few moments longer into the darkness, aware of the young woman sleeping fitfully on his bed. She had done everything that he had asked of her despite her fears. If she conceived within a month, perhaps the promised night would stretch to encompass months instead._

_He could always change his mind later, after all._

_Closing his eyes, Lundgren allowed himself to succumb to siren call of slumber. Tomorrow would be soon enough to face such things..._

**~o~**

AN: This chapter was difficult for me to write after the first portion that dealt with the dungeon scene. In a way, it almost feels like it could be character assassination for Lundgren to assign certain motives to him, but seeing as he only appears for a short while in 7, I suppose a certain amount of extrapolation goes into writing his character.

As far as the lechery goes, its noted that at least one of the houses in the league was led by a man who pandered to his lusts. Since the league consists of the heirs of Roland, I didn't see it as a great stretch to imagine that lechery could be an inherited trait to a degree. This however is based solely on my head-canon image of Roland (I've no knowledge of any canon information on the man.)

Florina does have a little time to shine in her defense of her friend. The girl has steel in her, even though it rarely shows through her timidity. Just saying.

Comments on characterization or anything else will be gratefully received.


	6. Chapter 5

**"Guile: The Quality of a Deception"**

Spaces Between

**~o~**

_"After the advent of Lyn's tale, a space of a time existed where peace existed in Caelin. Feuds were forgotten and as the marquess spent time with his granddaughter, the memories of their trials began to fade. Conflict arose when Laus invaded and the reduced strength of Caelin's retainers was not enough to withstand the sudden invasion. Driven from the castle, Lyndis prepared to retake the keep in order to rescue her grandfather from the invaders. Only the arrival of the Lords Eliwood and Hector brought definite victory to the assault; the rest of the tale you already know."_

_"In Lundgren's rendition, the military might of Caelin was never forced to destroy itself in civil unrest and thus remains an obstacle to any seeking to take the canton for their own. Peace does have a way with loosening restrictions put into place in times of unrest however and Castle Caelin is no exception. Without the advent of merchants and their goods the canton cannot hope to prosper."_

_"And Lundgren desperately needs to prosper..."_

**~o~**

A farmer toils beneath the sun, following the team of horses and the plow that they drag behind them. At the end of the row, he halts and wipes away the sweat from his bald pate. The horses stand patiently while Wallace views his progress. "Hmph. Not bad at all. Come on Susie, Belaphron, we've still got twenty acres yet to plow!"

The horses start obligingly and Wallace turns them to start the next row, the plow before him biting deep into the soil and turning it as the team strains towards the horizon. Sweat and heat, leather and metal, stone and soil; they all mix together in the breeze that springs up from the south.

Wallace laughs as he follows the plow. _Ah, nothing beats the farmer's life!_

**~o~**

_Behind the walls of the keep, hidden away from the residents and the world at large..._

_Lyndis sits silently in her room. She is more aware of her surroundings and whenever Florina comes to see her the two can now converse. Drugs still course through her blood, but the dosage is nowhere near the debilitating levels that she had been given at the beginning of her captivity. _

_Florina never speaks of the past days, but Lyn is certain that the babe that she carries with her on occasion is her own. Since they are not locked up together, Lyn suspects that there is a story behind it all and from what hints she can gather it is not one that would be easy to share, much less to endure. Yet her friend always cuts off any conversation that might lead to that venue..._

_Florina has changed; yet she is not the only one. Lyndis knows that her body is not as strong as she was a year ago- long absence from sparring and exercise have allowed her muscles to deteriorate. She has no blade to use in the forms, but there are other ways to improve..._

_Standing suddenly, Lyndis moves to the center of the room..._

**~o~**

Florina is silent as she watches the sun shining in the from the balcony. The babe at her breast feeds hungrily and she absently brushes the soft down that covers the tiny head. So far Lundgren appears to have kept to his promise; Lyndis has not been touched. She still fears for her friend; until they find freedom away from this place, she will continue to worry.

Smiling faintly, Florina turns her attention back to her child. Now she has another to worry about and protect. It is not that she fears that Lundgren would harm his heir, but she fears what he will try to mold her child into._ She also worries that one child will not be enough..._

If it is required of her, she will not flinch from the duty, but she does not wish to be bedded by the lord of the keep if it can be helped.

When a shadow suddenly falls across her, Florina looks up to find a figure in front of her. Clutching her child closer, she shrinks away...until she starts in recognition as the intruder turns to face her.

**~o~**

_Kent is brooding as they ride behind the knight commander. Sain watches him from the corner of his eye and tries to cheer up his companion with his usual joviality, but after a few attempts that fail miserably he joins Kent in despondent silence. Things have never been the same since finding the desecrated corpses of the ones they had escorted to Caelin. Coupled with the death of Lord Hausen and the assault upon Lord Lundgren, it was enough to make the most cheerful of men depressed._

_Neither cavalier held much respect for Lundgren, yet his succession to the canton had been without bloodshed on his part; with all other heirs dead, it had fallen to him along lawful lines. Sain frowned and glanced back over at his companion; it was actually surprising to both cavaliers that Lundgren had not started a civil war, given the rumors that had been floating around at the time that they had left the garrison to find Lyndis and her family._

_Regardless of their misgivings, they remained loyal to House Caelin. In part, it was due to Lundgren's promise to allow them a chance at whoever had slain Lyndis and Lord Hausen. Sain doubted whether the lord would be able to root out the hand behind the blades that had slain good people, but it was extremely generous of Lundgren to offer it. Which also made it suspect in his view, though he lacked any proof that Lundgren was insincere in his offer._

_For the present, all they could do was to follow whatever orders they were given..._

**~o~**

It wasn't easy to infiltrate the keep, but Leila was used to having to make her way through obstacles. Employment would give her access to portions of the place, though being newly arrived and an outsider at that would not make it easy to access sensitive areas or gather information. That just meant that she would have to work harder in the spaces between shifts and remain unseen by the guards.

It should not prove impossible to overcome. Somewhere the defenses would be weak; it wasn't like infiltrating the Black Fang, after all. Caelin didn't have a network of spies and assassins at its beck and call, only a household guard that might not be strictly loyal considering the recent ascension of its lord.

She just hoped that she wouldn't be called upon to sacrifice any more Lycian subjects to the knife to keep her Fang masters from sensing her duplicitous intentions...

**~o~**

_Hector glances around momentarily, satisfied that he is alone and unseen. He grins as he slips through the halls with uncanny precision, gracefully maneuvering without any noise. His right hand holds Wolf Biel and a pack with supplies is slung carelessly over his shoulder._

_When he rounds a corner and comes face to face with a bevy of assassins, he is startled. The pack drops to the ground and he faces his opponents with burgeoning excitement._

_It is only after he finishes off his opponents with the help of Matthew that he realizes that his brother already knew that he was sneaking out of the castle. The spy shamelessly admits as much when pressed, but Hector is too focused on his own plans to dwell on anything but the success of his plans to escape to give the matter any more thought._

_After all, his friend may be in grave danger!_

**~o~**

Eliwood stands on the battlements of Castle Pherae, his cape shifting in the breeze that comes in steady gusts from the west. His thoughts turn to the fate of his father, missing and yet alive. The young woman and her brother that he had rescued from agents of the Black Fang had spoken of Lord Elbert and his heroics when he brought them to shelter with the walls of the castle. Lady Eleanora had been overjoyed to have news of her husband, though it was months late in coming.

Eliwood had been relieved to hear the news as well, but it only fanned the spark of an idea that he had held for some time now; he would leave and seek to free his father from imprisonment by the mysterious Nergal. Down in the courtyard below, he could see Nils and Ninian wandering slowly beside Isadora, the lady knight under orders to see to their guests safety.

Quietly clenching his fist, Eliwood acknowledged the other reason that he sought Nergal's whereabouts; he greatly admired the young dancer and sought to know her better. If he could succeed in blunting the ability of Nergal's army to seek for the girl and her brother, perhaps they would consent to stay longer in Pherae...

His thoughts turned away from romantic impulses as the clinking of metal upon the stonework announced the presence of his guardian. The young lord turned to regard Marcus as the knight drew nearer.

"We are near ready to depart, my lord and your mother wishes to speak with you before we go."

Nodding once, Eliwood turned to follow Marcus as he descended from the battlements. In a few short hours, he would be on his way.

It was a pity that Hector could not have joined him on this quest.

**~o~**

AN: _This portion is an interlude of sorts, having nothing to do with Lundgren specifically, but rather dealing with some of the events happening around the league and other influential characters. I wanted to take a step back and shape the world as it appears from their viewpoints. Hopefully I've not butchered any characters here, but if there seems to be anything too out of character, please let me know._

_Marking the transition from Lyndis' Tale to Hector's and Eliwood's combined tales, Lundgren will be shifting some of his focus from the internal structure of Caelin to focus on the League and the rest of the world. How this messes around with the structure of the canon storyline remains to be seen, but I think it is safe to assume that the league as we know it in end of Fire Emblem 7 will not be in reference by the end of Lundgren's Tale._

_Of course, this all revolves upon Lundgren remaining semi-rational and actually thinking before putting plans into motion and his ability to consider the future in his planning; not only of what he is going to do, but what course of action his foes are likely to take. Can he pull it off? I think he can if he remains patient, but we'll see._


	7. Chapter 6

**"Guile: The Quality of a Deception"**

Shell Games

**~o~**

_"Entering uncharted territory... _Lundgren where no man has grenned before_." _

**~o~**

_It is early in the morning when the watcher notices the gates of the keep opening and a column of horsemen issuing forth. As he carefully counts the soldiers, the scout sees a large man in armor at the head of the column that could only be Caelin's lord. Moments later, the gates to the keep close and the column heads southward towards one of the outlying villages._

_Great news! The scout hastens to his mount, intending to report to his commander swiftly. The young lord would want to begin the assault immediately in order to take the keep while the forces were divided. An ambush has already been set for the riders; the reports of banditry merely a means of reducing the strength of the garrison for the true assault that would fall on the keep itself. With any luck, Laus would hold the keep by mid-morning._

_And if Caelin's lord returned at all, he would have no way of contesting the situation with the few knights at his disposal..._

**~o~**

Atop the walls, sentries walk their posts with eyes to the horizon. Caelin's lord has left his fortress to deal with an infestation of banditry and the remaining garrison is on high alert. The knight commander walks the walls and the men sense that he is uneasy. Tension spreads amongst them.

Below in the courtyard a giant man stands waiting. His spear rests on his shoulder and his bald pate reflects the early rays of the sun.

When the first shouts of alarm commence, Wallace laughs and walks towards the entrance to the keep. If the enemy thinks that Caelin will fall to their pitiful ruse, then they must drown in disappointment.

Either that or an ocean of blood. He had been entrusted with the fate of his lord's family. He would not fail them.

**~o~**

_"If Laus really intends to invade, would it not be wiser to await their assault inside the keep with the whole of the garrison?" The knight commander stared hard at the maps and the tally of the forces arrayed against them. "Laus already holds a three to one advantage if we ignore their feint and concentrate on defending ourselves. Should they obtain a foothold, it will prove hard to dislodge them."_

_Lundgren favored the man with his attention. "What then, when they cut us off from the outside world and destroy the keep around us?"_

_Even speaking the words brought forth a bitter taste in his mouth. What nonsense, that some foe could wrest Caelin from his grasp. Such a victory would be impossible...unless there were an ocean of blood spilled._

_The knight commander opened his mouth as if to speak, then seemed to realize that he had nothing to offer. "We might hold out until Ostia intervenes."_

_"The Ostia that would hear how we had been assailed to prevent our plotting with Bern from coming to fruition? For that is all that they would hear from the lackeys of that nincompoop that dares to lift his sword against us. Laus undoubtedly has some such tale to justify their 'intervention' in the daily politics of the league. And we would be unable to protest, trapped inside our own walls until they had destroyed us and left no witness to their duplicity." Lundgren had not fully understood the argument that he presented before his advisor had made him aware of the potential dangers. Before that, he would have been quite content to let the enemy camp upon his doorstep while he denied their every attempt to break into his ancestral home._

_While somewhat risky, the plan that he had chosen to implement had the advantage of action and the potential for Caelin to perhaps gain something both strategically and politically should they succeed in repelling Laus' aggression. Only a few key points needed to be addressed before he could set out; the knight commander would have to hold the keep until he could deal with the ambush and return. With a reduced force, it would prove difficult._

_There was one way to even the odds, however._

_Lundgren leaned forward and gestured to the guard at the door. The man opened it to reveal a giant in armor; with the rattle of plate mail, Wallace strode into the room._

_Looking back at knight commander, Lundgren smiled darkly. "Do you think that you can hold if Sir Wallace anchors the line?"_

_The mute nod that he received in reply was quite gratifying._

**~o~**

As he thundered off with half of his knights, Lundgren spared one last glance over his shoulder at the keep. Within its walls lay his darkest secrets and future hopes. His actions now might reveal the first and destroy the second, yet without some risk there was no hope of realizing his ambitions.

Much as he disliked the old knight, Lundgren understood that Wallace would not let anyone take the keep while the lady of the house remained there. Bringing him back had been a calculated risk; Wallace had a tendency to go his own way and there was no way to control him. Nonetheless, the knight had a soft spot for young women and despite his idiosyncrasies, chivalry reigned in his heart. It was quite possible that if Lundgren had not introduced the man to his mistress, that the old knight would have refused his request and gone on with plowing his fields.

Had Madelyn survived, Wallace would certainly have joined her cause given his devotion to the lord's family. Lundgren mentally noted that it would not be prudent to allow the old man to know that Lyndis had survived unless he could prove some reasonable honor in his actions at keeping her out of sight. But that was a problem for another time; for now he rode into battle that would test him beyond the limits that he had already been tested.

Ahead waited the supposed bandits and their ambush. He would not fail Caelin nor his own ambitions.

**~o~**

_"Riders approaching!"_

_Midmorning and the call came from the battlements. The knight commander hastened along the walls until he came in sight of the approaching column. They carried no visible insignia and made considerable dust as they rode towards the gates. When they halted and announced a message for the lord, custom demanded that they be allowed entrance until their missive could be delivered._

_Reluctantly the knight commander admitted them to the keep and bid them keep out of the way until his lord could return and deal with their business._

_When the army following behind the dust came into sight of the keep, the gates were open and none of the garrison were in sight on the walls..._

**~o~**

Riding into village, Lundgren noted the stench of blood before they discovered the first bodies. Mercenaries lay where they had hidden, felled by some unknown hand. Sending five men to patrol the outskirts to the village and ensure that they would not be surprised from without, Lundgren led the remainder of the men on a sweep through the collection of dwellings that might serve to hide any invaders.

They found naught but villagers and bodies of the ambushers.

Still wary, Lundgren was instantly on alert when one of the men broke out from the collection of peasantry and approached him. His guards stepped forward to block the way, but the man stopped and bowed before holding forth a scroll. One of the guards stepped forward to take it and the peasant allowed him to take it. Lundgren received the ragged parchment and broke the seal on it.

Halfway through the missive, he eyed the fellow still waiting patiently on one knee. "Where are the rest of your compatriots?"

"The ones that survived seek to infiltrate the enemy and cause them disturbance. My instructions were to see that you received that scroll and then to accompany you on your return to the keep, unless you specifically order me otherwise, milord."

Lundgren shook his head dismissively as he finished reading. A gesture brought his soldiers to attention. "Two of you attend to these bodies. Ensure that they are piled for inspection and bring any items of interest that they may be carrying. The rest of you mount up and prepare to return to the castle. Make haste!"

As he reached his horse, Lundgren turned to find that he had a shadow. The peasant had followed him and now stood patiently waiting while the lord mounted. Irritated, Lundgren glared down at the man. "What is it?"

"Shall I find a horse or did you wish me to attempt to keep with you on foot?" The man's question brought a bout of laughter amongst the soldiers, but Lundgren only glowered in response. "Unless you had other orders, milord?"

"A mount, unless you have wings for feet. We cannot delay our return."

The man bowed once more and faded away from Lundgren's perceptions. On his orders the troop moved away from the village, picking up the scouts as they rode with all haste back towards House Caelin.

Urging his horse forward, Lundgren led the party on the return. Unconsciously he clenched his fists upon the reins; so far things had worked out as planned. He could only hope that his men still held the keep or his plans would become immaterial.

And that would just not do at all. If that happened, he would have more than words for his advisor.

_There would be consequences._

**~o~**

_**AN:**_ *Waves* Back again with the next chapter of 'Guile'. Tis short. Tis hopefully not too disjointed. Plotting continues with Laus thrown into the mix. Any thoughts on Erik vs Lundgren? How about Erik vs Wallace?

Anywho, hope ya'll enjoyed it. I leave you now to return to RL which is trying to kick my butt in preparation for _really_ kicking my butt in the holiday season. And to hopefully getting more writing done, but who knows? Later!


End file.
